The prior art includes various wheel board and skateboard devices. Some embodiments have conventional trucks (two sets of paired wheels, each pair mounted on a substantially horizontally disposed axle), while other embodiments may have wheels that are larger than conventional truck wheels and/or otherwise arranged. Four, three and two wheel embodiments are known.
One prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,155, issued to Barachet for a Skateboard Having Two Wheels in Tandem. FIG. 2 of Barachet, a top plan view, illustrates that the two wheels are “in-line.”
The prior art devices are disadvantageous for one or more of the following reasons, among others. Many prior art devices have small wheels that are more likely to be impeded by pebbles/small debris, cracks in sidewalks, and other surface irregularities, than larger wheels. Others, such as the device of Barachet, have cumbersome or awkwardly arranged turning axles, which may lead to elevated rider platforms, an axle that becomes a tripping hazard when mounting/dismounting or that can readily cause damage or be damaged (such as the extended, pointy turning axle of Barachet). Furthermore, these cumbersome arrangements negatively impact the look, feel, and use experience of the device.
In addition, known skateboards and wheeled-boards tend to be limited in their manner of propulsion. There is a need for wheel or skate board devices that offer alternative or multiple manners of propulsion and riding experiences. This increases the effectiveness and fun of the device for entertainment and transport, the latter being particularly important in this era of less-favorable attitudes towards automobile use—due to greenhouse gas emissions and lack of physical exercise concerns, among others.